February 2006

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IN THIS ISSUE

Dean's Message Campus to Career Day.
Alumni and Student News News about Scott Prior, Jeremiah Patterson, Rob Corrdry, Deborah Wye, Doug Metcalf, Timothy Joliat, Dan Zeller, Karen Dolmanisth, Sandy Litchfield, James Stanley, Tim Folland, Tyran Grillo, Peter LaMothe, Heidi Costa, Kristen Bouley, Nissa Perrot
Notes from Departments and Programs Faculty and departmental news.
Links to Exhibits, Performance and Film schedules on campus Information on the arts in the College of Humanities & Fine Arts.

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Dean's message

Campus to career day 2

I’m not sure if the transition from college to career can be described as a moment of extreme makeover, but I do know that for many of our students, the shift is definitely an existential challenge. This year, the College counts itself extremely fortunate in being able to recruit three alumnae – Mary Lou Andre '86, Founder and CEO of Organization by Design, a Boston-based, full service wardrobe management and fashion consulting firm, Roberta (Bobbie) LaPorte '74, President and Founder of RAL Associates in San Francisco, a career coaching and consulting firm for sales and marketing professionals, and Rochelle Rice '83, President of In Fitness & In Health, New York's premier wellness facility dedicated to plus-size women – to mentor our students as they negotiate this process. At an open forum in the Fall, this dynamic trio – we think of them as the College's benevolent muses/talented goddesses – walked students through the process of writing resumes, surviving interviews, and presenting themselves as newly minted professionals in whatever arena they choose to move into after leaving Amherst. As a follow-up, we selected four seniors – Nissa Perrot, Theater, Heidi Costa, English,  Kristen Bouley, History, and Gilad Skolnick, Judaic and Near Eastern Studies and History – for a one-day intensive session, in which each student had a one-on-one session with each advisor/mentor. Their resumes were tweaked and vetted by Bobbie, who taught them as well, how to anticipate and respond to likely interview questions. Rochelle had them practice a variety of stress reduction techniques that would allow them to remain poised and calm throughout the interview. And finally, under Mary Lou’s eagle eye, they went on a shopping expedition to buy an appropriate "interview outfit." As Nissa Perrot summed up the day for the entire group: "It truly was amazing. We learned what to write and what to say as we approached the job market. We learned how to stay sane throughout the application process. And we learned how to look good and have confidence in ourselves when we meet our future employers." I share Nissa’s enthusiasm and gratitude to the three wonderful and generous presenters and to the Lois Toko Fund for helping to underwrite the day. 

Heidi Costa and Mary Lou Andre shopping!

ALUMNI AND STUDENT NEWS

Works by Art alumni Scott Prior '71 and Jeremiah Patterson '93, and by John Roy, a University of Massachusetts Amherst professor who died in 2001, are among those on display at William Baczek Fine Arts in Northampton through Feb. 12. http://www.wbfinearts.com/

Rob Corddry '93 English, was recently profiled in UMass Amherst Magazine. You can read about Rob's career here: http://umassmag.com/Fall_2005/Class_Clown_940.html

Deborah Wye '66 Art, was also profiled in UMass Amherst Magazine. Her story is at: http://umassmag.com/Fall_2005/Wye_s_World_948.html

Clarinetist Doug Metcalf '99, '01G Music, is in Germany with the Barenboim-Said Foundation. Doug recently wrote a letter to Marilyn Kushik in the Music Department, describing his career since leaving UMass Amherst. You can read Doug's letter here.

Timothy Joliat '87 Theater, sent the following e-mail and photo:
"Hi Gang! Hope all is well. This is what I've been working on this past fall and winter. A new comedy starring Tom Cavanaugh ("Ed,") Jason Priestley, Judy Greer and Lorenz Tate. It's VERY funny. Basically about a thirty-something music agent/A&R guy, and his life, loves, and friends in NYC. Here's the website:
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/love_monkey/
Check out the interviews! I'm told that I'm hangin' out/ lurking - er, working in the background of many of them. If this doesn't interest you at all, well then just forget I just said that, and check 'em out anyway! CBS only bought EIGHT episodes to see how we do, so catch it before it goes. Hopefully, it'll be a big hit, and CBS will buy a whole season (22 episodes) Honestly, I think you'll like this one. It's very funny, and it even gets serious sometimes too! Let me know if you like it. I promise to refund your money if not completely satisfied!Take care, Tim "

Attention Art and Art History Alumni! If you plan to attend the College Art Association Conference in Boston later this month, (or even if you aren't attending the conference,) be sure to attend the College of Humanities and Fine Arts reception on February 24th between 5:00 and 7:00 pm in the 3rd floor Atrium at the Marriott Copley Place Hotel! Your formal invitation is here!

A note from Art and Art History's Jerry Kearns, coordinator of the NYPOP (New York Professional Outreach Program http://www.umass.edu/art/academic-programs/ny-outreach.html) says: "UMass Amherst Art alums are having an amazing year in NYC: Dan Zeller '93 MFA, one person (show) in November. Karen Dolmanisth '93 MFA, in several venues at EXIT. Sandy Litchfield '03 MFA, one person up now in Brooklyn. James Stanley '01, one-person up now in Chelsea. Tim Folland '05, one-person up now in Brooklyn. I have a one-person opening Feb 9th. How about a new advertising slogan " Start your New York career -- Study at UMass Amherst."

Karen Dolmanisth will also be giving a gallery talk and slide presentation in conjuction with the exhibition "The Miraculous in the Everyday," at the University Gallery on March 2, 2006.
See: http://umass.edu/umhome/events/articles/26597.php

Tyran Grillo '06 has translated a 320-page Japanese novel with Vertical Press, New York. Asian Languages and Cultures' Doris Bargen says: "A word about Tyran. I remember when he first appeared as a BDIC major in my office in Thompson Hall, about six years ago. He was carrying a very fine, elegant pencil drawing just a little smaller than the size of the door. Tyran also had an exhibition of his pencil drawings in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library (I am proud to own one of these,) and he has done a wall painting for the East Asian reference floor in the library. He changed his major from BDIC to Japanese, and after exhausting all our class offerings, he became a Women's Studies major (having fallen in love with Murasaki Shikibu and geisha like Liza Dalby.) He is currently interested in Chinese pipa and calligraphy. I suppose I am describing a postmodern "renaissance" man with avantgarde (liberal) interests and a firm grounding in traditional arts and culture."

Peter Lamothe '93 History, is the new director of Canterbury Shaker Village, beginning this month. Most recently he has been the executive director of the New Haven Colony Historical Society.

Elizabeth Unterman, curator for the Student Union Gallery, has arranged a graduate student art exhibit swap with Rhode Island School of Design (RISD.) From Feb. 20-March 3, 2006 selected RISD MFA candidates will be showing work at the Student Union Gallery, and from March 10-19, 2006 selected UMass Amherst
graduate students will be showing at the Sol Koffer Gallery at RISD.

notes from departments and programs

Last month when we noted that Chris Krueger, Music, has been nominated for a Grammy, we neglected to mention that Jeff Holmes was also nominated for his performance on the Paul Winter Consort’s recording, Silver Solstice, in the Best New Age Album category. Sorry Jeff! Congratulations to both. Find out more here.

Sabina Murray of the English Department MFA Program is one of five nominees
for an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay for the SONY
Classic movie The Beautiful Country. The winner will be announced later this month.
We'll keep our fingers crossed for her! The film will be screened on campus as part of the 13th Annual Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival, on April 19th.

James Young, Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, commented about a decision that the unidentified remains of Sept. 11 terrorist attack victims in New York will not be entombed in the centerpiece of the memorial planned for the site of the north tower. Instead, the remains will be kept in a nearby climate-controlled room for easy access when DNA techniques improve. The decision has rankled some. Young, who served on the site’s memorial jury, suggests that a solution may be to have a small vessel with some remains in the memorial, representing all the remains of the victims. (New York Times, 1/12/06)

An exhibition titled Do Lord Remember Me, of 73 photographs taken by Julius Lester, retired professor of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, will be open at the Forbes Library in Northampton Feb. 1-26 as part of the celebration of Black History Month. Dr. Lester recently won the Coretta Scott King Author Award for his novel, Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue.
 
We learned that Selma Jeanne Cohen, who taught Dance, died Dec. 23, 2005, in New York City. Cohen brought the field of dance scholarship to a new level of visibility and respect with the publication of the six-volume International Encyclopedia of Dance.

Also, Nancy Lee Beaty, 82, of West Springfield, a former professor of English literature, died Jan. 20. (Gazette, 1/25/06)

James Smethurst, Afro-American Studies, reviewed a recent book on the life of actor Lincoln Perry, known as "Stepin Fetchit." You can read the review here.

Henry Lea, retired German faculty member, recalled his work as a translator at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders conducted after World War II, in a newspaper interview. (Gazette, 1/13/06 )

Tom Roeper, Lingusitics, recently won a Public Service Award. Since Tom has previously won research and teaching awards, we asked him to comment on his acceptance of three academic awards. His thought-provoking response: On the ethical connection between research, teaching, and public service, appears here.

A reminder that the exhibit of the 31st Nikon International Photomicrography Competition will be in the Herter gallery Feb.1-26, along with a retrospective of the works of legendary comics and graphic novel artist Will Eisner.

Don't forget that Lingusitics publishes an excellent and enjoyable, even if you're not a linguist, online newsletter. http://www.umass.edu/linguist/about/whisc/whisc-current/

ART, Performances and Film

The Film Studies program website includes a schedule of film events in the
five-college area. Go to http://www.umass.edu/film/ and click on the 4th yellow
oval for a calendar!

For a complete listing of the many scheduled performances by the Department of Music and Dance, see http://www.umass.edu/music/calendar/index.html

Theater performance schedules are available at http://www.umass.edu/theater/season.html

For listings of gallery exhibits and events, check the webpage for the Art and Art History Departments at http://www.umass.edu/art/

Illuminating is a publication of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. Please send your news, comments and ideas to the editor, Laurie Neely, Marketing and Communications Specialist, at: e-illuminating